Program Areas
Engagement
Engagement Academy for University Leaders is an executive leadership experience to build an institution’s capacity for engagement.
Center Faculty
Dr. Lorilee Sandmann, Center Associate
Dr. Lorilee Sandmann is an associate professor at the University of Georgia in the College of Education’s Department of Lifelong Education, Administration, and Policy. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Adult Education and holds an M.A. and B.S. from the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis.
Sandmann is the co-director of the Clearinghouse and National Review Board for the Scholarship of Engagement (funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation). She teaches graduate-level courses in higher and continuing education leadership, organizational change, and program assessment and evaluation. Her research interests are in the area of the institutionalization of outreach and engagement in higher education, faculty scholarship, and policies and practices that support adult students in higher education.
As a leader in high education, Sandmann has served the roles of associate vice president for Public Service and Outreach and as the executive director of the Georgia Center for Continuing Education, one of the world’s largest university-based comprehensive residential conference centers. She was also the vice provost for the Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Partnerships from 1999 to 2001 at Cleveland State University (CSU) in Cleveland, Ohio, where she provided central administrative leadership for developing external relationships and programs that leverage resources; provided increased academic, research, and service opportunities for faculty and students; and positioned CSU as an important engaged partner in northeastern Ohio. In addition, she established focused, university-wide strategic partnerships to benefit the university’s mission as the director of University Outreach from 1993 to 1999 as the associate professor in Educational Administration at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich. There, she provided leadership to major university-wide partnerships, particularly in urban settings and developed models for successful partnerships with other educational institutions, non-profit organizations, government agencies, businesses, and industries.
Environmental Management Systems
Environmental management systems (EMS) address the needs of a broad range of interested parties and the evolving needs of society for environmental protection.
In work with local, state, and federal government facilities, the Center has taught and assisted entities to implement ISO 14001 EMS. This standard is a set of management processes and procedures that allow an organization to analyze, control, and reduce the environmental impact of its activities, products, and services and operate with greater efficiency and control.
EMS are appropriate for all kinds of organizations of varying sizes in public and private sectors and encourage an organization to continuously improve its environmental performance.
Center Faculty
W. Robert Herbert, Senior Center Fellow
W. Robert Herbert, an expert in ISO 14001 EMS, established the Center as one of 11 university-based U.S. EPA EMS Local Resource Centers. He is a lead instructor in the ISO 14001 EMS Implementation Workshops held at the HRCC.
Herbert earned statewide and national recognition for more than 30 years of public service, serving in many leadership roles in city government, including city manager of Roanoke, Va. from 1985 to 1999. During his tenure as city manager, the City of Roanoke won three All-American City awards, which recognizes innovation in public/private partnerships in solving community problems.
In addition, Herbert develops public sector workshops and is available to develop topic specific courses and other educational programming for local, state, and federal government, as well as public sector organizations like hospitals, health facilities, and public safety groups.
Contact:
W. Robert Herbert, Senior Center Fellow
Center for Organizational and Technological Advancement
110 Shenandoah Ave.
Roanoke, VA 24016
Phone: 540/853-8276
Email: bherbert@vt.edu
Smart Communities
The Smart Communities seminar is designed to acquaint participants with the model of smart community change and how communities and regions can begin to thrive, not just survive. The seminar helps participants find solutions to problems and realize that opportunities occur when communities act smarter.
Most recently, the city of Roanoke, Roanoke City Public Schools, and Virginia Tech began The Promise of Roanoke initiative. This citizen led initiative has adopted the Smart Communities framework as the basis for thinking strategically about ways to prepare all students for school and work.
Center Faculty
Dr. Suzanne Morse, Center Fellow
Dr. Suzanne Morse is a nationally
recognized author, speaker, and
advocate for strategic civic change.
Her model for thriving communities
emphasizes civic partnerships,
broad-based civic leadership, and a
development process based on assets
from all sectors of a community. As
president of the Pew Partnership for
Civic Change and seminar leader, Morse
leads a team that provides solutions
for some of the toughest societal
issues to cities, towns, and regions
across America.
Morse's work for the importance of civic partnerships and citizen leadership to strong democratic communities is widely recognized. Her latest book, Smart Communities: How Citizens and Local Leaders Can Use Strategic Thinking to Build a Brighter Future, uses a common sense framework and tested examples of successful civic initiatives to argue for a strategic approach to long-term community change.
Contact:
Dr. Suzanne Morse, Center Fellow
5 Boar’s Head Lane, Suite 100
Charlottesville, VA 22903
Phone: 434/971-2073 or 540/357-0311
Email: swmorse@vt.edu or morse@pew-partnership.org
Veterinary Practice Business Management
An intensive, practical, certificate program designed to provide veterinarians and managers with the basic business knowledge required for efficient and effective private clinical veterinary practices.
Virginia Tech’s nationally ranked Pamplin College of Business offers undergraduate and graduate programs in accounting and information systems, business information technology, economics, finance, hospitality and tourism management, management, and marketing. The college emphasizes the development of leadership skills and ethical values and the integration of technology in the academic curriculum, and prepares students for global business challenges through faculty-led study abroad programs. The college’s research centers focus on business leadership, electronic commerce, and organizational performance. The college is committed to serving business and society through the expertise of its faculty, alumni, and students.
Center Faculty
Frank Smith, Director of Management and Professional Development, Pamplin College of Business
Frank M. Smith is the director of Management and Professional
Development (MPD) within Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of
Business. MPD provides educational and consulting services to
businesses, governments, and non-profit organizations
throughout the United States.
Smith has more than 25 years of industry and academic experience leading management and professional development organizations. He was previously the director of the Executive MBA Programs at both Oklahoma State University and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
While at IBM, Smith managed applications development programming education in Dallas, Texas; finance and business planning education in Brussels, Belgium; and the worldwide course development operations for IBM’s finance, business planning, and information technology functions. Additionally, Smith owned and managed Master Training Services, Inc., a Texas-based management consulting firm.
Smith received a bachelor's in industrial management from Fairfield University in 1968, and a master's in business administration from the University of Maine in 1968.
Contact:
Frank Smith, Director
Management and Professional Development
Pamplin College of Business
1070 Pamplin Hall
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Phone: 540/231-5566
Email: fmsmith@vt.edu
Virginia School Leaders Institute
The institute is designed specifically for recently appointed school administrators (RAA). It provides multiple, hands-on opportunities structured to hone and expand existing skills and to sharpen decision-making ability. The major focus is to explore methods used to transcend challenges faced by educators working to demonstrate leadership effectiveness.
Center Faculty
Dr. E. Wayne Harris, Center Fellow
Dr. E. Wayne Harris directs the VSLI and RAA
program. Harris a business consultant engaged in
projects through out North America. Projects
include keynote presentations, workshops, executive
coaching, and technical and administrative support
to school districts and other organizations.
For the past five years, Harris has been a trainer/facilitator for the American Cancer Society and is involved in a National Urban Institute for Coordinating School Health Programs.
Harris retired as Superintendent of the Roanoke City Schools, Virginia in 2004 after an eleven and a half year tenure. Prior to Roanoke, he worked in the Fairfax County School System in Fairfax, Virginia for 25 years. He has received numerous degrees including the following: undergraduate degree from Shepherd College; master degrees from both Colorado State University and Harvard University; and a doctorate degree from Harvard University's Graduate School of Education in 1995.
Contact:
Dr. E. Wayne Harris, Center Fellow
Center for Organizational and Technological Advancement
702 University City Blvd.
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Phone: 540/761-1488
Email: ewharris@vt.edu
Small Grants
The Center provides small grants to support development and conferences at HRCC. This section provides details about application procedures and award recipient expectations. If you have additional questions, please contact Dr. Jeri Childers (jlc@vt.edu or 540/231-9497).
Funding is at the discretion of the Center director. The following programs are eligible for consideration and will be prioritized accordingly:
- Virginia Tech affiliated activities
- Other university and educational organizations
- State and Federal agencies
- Professional associations and other non-profit organizations not affiliated with Virginia Tech
- Private sector companies and organizations
Funding Guidelines
Small grants can be generally utilized in the following ways:
- Honoraria
- Travel for speakers
- Technology support including satellite transmission, video conferencing, and any other special services offered by Business Technology Services at the Conference Center of Roanoke
- Computer rental
- As approved at the discretion of the small grant administrator, in compliance with state and university policies, and established business goals
- Virginia Tech Foundation-funded (Center) grants can also support these additional activities with all instances complying with Foundation policies
Award Guidelines
- Small grants must be used to sponsor programs at HRCC.
- Awards will generally range from $500 to $2,000.
- Program grants are contingent on generating hotel room and conference center meeting packages.
- Grants generally range $500 to $2,000.
- Grants should be no greater than 5% of the total value of the program being presented. Exceptions are made at the discretion of the Center director.
- In general, award criteria should address a combination of the following:
- Revenue potential from a combination of hotel room nights, meeting packages, ala Carte room rent and breaks, receptions and banquets
- Likelihood of program success
- Number of participants
- Benefit to the department, college, or university in pursing Virginia Tech’s priorities
- Potential of attracting research grants
- Potential for national and international recognition
Additional Procedures
Each small grant must have a separate budget. Budgets must be established using a program account number obtained from Center personnel and used consistently in identifying the program. Outreach Program Development, through its accounting office, will process all small grants
Proposal Review and Award Announcements
- All proposals must include a timetable with interim milestones for project completion.
- Once awards are made, recipients will be expected to:
- work with Outreach Program Development and Continuing and Professional Education faculty to support program activities and to contract with the HRCC;
- submit invoices for expenses associated with their awards;
- indicate in marketing materials and in other programmatic materials that the Center is a sponsor;
- prepare a quarterly status report for the Center; and 5) submit a brief final report at the conclusion of the program.